Formula One

[Magnus]

Mercedes front row with a second's gap to 3rd? WTF? Is there any MotoGP on tomorrow?

[G-CPTN]

That was close!

[Boac]

50 or so laps of ho-hum and wow!

[4mastacker]

I fell asleep between laps 5 and 49. According to Mrs 4ma, I didn't miss much.

[G-CPTN]

Bernie once suggested introducing sprinklers to spice up the races - maybe they could introduce explosives within the tyres.

Next weekend will be interesting with warmer weather forecast and softer tyres scheduled.

Two-stoppers?

[G-CPTN]

No Ted for next three races - will Karun do the Notebook?

[Wodrick]

I think, but do not KNOW, that the tyres were allocated some time ago and that the teams made their choices then.
I would not be surprised if the tyres for next week were already at Silverstone and difficult to change now.

[G-CPTN]

I think, but do not KNOW, that the tyres were allocated some time ago and that the teams made their choices then.
I would not be surprised if the tyres for next week were already at Silverstone and difficult to change now.

Agreed - if you add up the number of tyres and multiply it by the number of teams it doesn't seem possible to manage a change.

Teams must inform the FIA eight weeks before the start of a European event and 14 weeks before a non-European race their tyre choices.

[G-CPTN]

What happened to wheel tethers?

At least two cars lost wheels in crashes today.

[tango15]

What happened to wheel tethers?

At least two cars lost wheels in crashes today.

Dunno - I wondered that, too. No doubt all will become apparent during the week. If not, I will ask around. The Pirelli people are a little - err - up themselves, so mein schadenfreude came to the fore while I was watching today I am working there next week, so I shall be watching developments with interest.

Looking at the Kvyat accident today, I can't help but think that there is a deeper problem here...

[Wodrick]

The SKY commentators were thinking the same out loud. Wheel tethers I mean.

[TheGreenGoblin]

Watched some of the GP highlights on Channel 4!

Who is that irritating Welsh presenter who contrives to combine an aura of swaggering self regard with the preening pretention of a narcissist male model? He almost makes the wooden Coulthard bearable.

What an oily tick and by oily I don't mean Castrol.

[Pontius Navigator]

TGG, BOAC and 4Ma give me an idea for a Highlight spin off. Get rid of all the pre race waffle. Cut to the chase, show the start, cut to all the collisions, cut to the drama, 20 minutes max and time for the adverts.

The interview with Hamilton was interesting, not for what he said but how far down the interviewers mask would fall. Off her nose at one point, quick camera shift and there it was back on.

[TheGreenGoblin]

TGG, BOAC and 4Ma give me an idea for a Highlight spin off. Get rid of all the pre race waffle. Cut to the chase, show the start, cut to all the collisions, cut to the drama, 20 minutes max and time for the adverts.

The interview with Hamilton was interesting, not for what he said but how far down the interviewers mask would fall. Off her nose at one point, quick camera shift and there it was back on.

+1

What is needed is a presenter who really knows and loves his/her subject, somebody akin to a Raymond Baxter or a Murray Walker, allied to an interesting GP driver or ex team owner (for example) with some vestigial personality. While old David Coulthard is obviously a decent chap, would you invite him out to lunch and expect not to feel somnolent despite the fact that you didn't drink any wine? Eddie Irvine just comes over as a prat!

As for the rest of the fluff... well, call me old fashioned...

[larsssnowpharter]

There is one guy who meets all the criteria you have mentioned. Principal of 2 F1 teams, ex World Champion (co driver WRC), probably the most knowledgeable person in the Motorsport world and a lively speaker.

Any guesses?

[TheGreenGoblin]

There is one guy who meets all the criteria you have mentioned. Principal of 2 F1 teams, ex World Champion (co driver WRC), probably the most knowledgeable person in the Motorsport world and a lively speaker.

Any guesses?

Initially I thought of Allan McNish...?

[Wodrick]

David Richards was my initial thought.

[TheGreenGoblin]

David Richards was my initial thought.

Yes, he fits the profile perfectly...

He and his wife came down, not a million miles from my place, in his EC135, in 2007. I note that his proclivity for helicopters has been irritating the natives elsewhere...

https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/eurocop ... ember-2007

[larsssnowpharter]

Yes, Dave Richards! Really nice guy for a helicopter pilot!

Our daughters are best friends from schooldays which led to the two of us being invited to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone years ago by Dave Richards. The place to see the race is from the BRDC enclosure. The best after race party was at Team Jordan!

He is a pure petrolhead but probably has too many other interests to be tempted.

[Pontius Navigator]

What do the pundits think caused the tyre failures on both Mercedes?

Do Mercedes have faster cars and/or better drivers?